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Matthew Lynch published in Ask An Expert, Matthew Lynch, Teachers December 23, 2015

The Two Types of Interviews New Teachers Should Be Prepared For

It’s a good idea to prepare for interviews before you’re called for one. Being prepared for the interview creates a favorable impression on your potential employer and will considerably reduce your stress levels before the interview.

When applying for a teaching position, you may encounter two types of interviews:

1. Online Interviews
An online interview is typically a preliminary set of screening questions. The online interview usually must be completed before being called for an in-person interview.

When completing an online interview, it is important that you take your time, proofread, and double-check that you have filled everything out correctly. You don’t want a minor mistake you get in the way of moving forward toward your dream job!

2. In-Person Interviews
An in-person interview is a face-to-face interview with an interviewer or team of interviewers. In-person interviews may be conducted by one or more administrators, a team of teachers, a combination of teachers and parents, or any arrangement of these.

Irrespective of the type of interview panel, it’s imperative to make a good first impression. A good interview suit is an excellent place to start. Interviewers also look for self-confidence, enthusiasm, poise, the ability to think and act quickly, appropriate grammar and a well-developed vocabulary, as well as clear and confident speech and diction.

The impression you make is often created by your personality traits, manners, and appearance, some of which may not be under your direct control. However, you can be prepared to answer questions typically asked by interviewers. Thoroughly research the school, making a visit to the school and speaking to experienced teachers who have been working at the school for a number of years. Prepare a series of questions to ask these teachers to allow you to get a good idea of the school environment as a whole. Familiarize yourself with the school goals, missions, and activities by browsing their Web site and by searching in local newspapers or at the local library. Apply your research findings to the questions typically asked by interviewers.

Matthew Lynch published in Diversity, Equity, list, Matthew Lynch December 23, 2015

Bilingual Education: 5 Reasons Why Starting Early is Important

This generation of K-12 students is growing up in a society that is increasingly bilingual. Foreign language requirements have long been a core requirement for high school graduation and are also part of most arts-based college degree programs. Along with Spanish, languages like French and German are common options for students. But is high school early enough to learn another language? There are actually more benefits to learning a second language much earlier, even as early as kindergarten. Here are 5 reasons it is important to start bilingual education early:

Simply put—fluency is easier to come by when you learn earlier.

It generally takes 5–7 years to be proficient in a second language. Second-generation Hispanic children raised in the United States usually learn to speak English very well by adulthood, even though three-quarters of their parents speak mostly Spanish and are not English proficient. However only 23 percent of first-generation immigrants from Spanish-speaking countries—those that began learning later in life, say they speak English very well. Pew Hispanic Center statistics have shown that 88 percent of the members of the second generation—those children that were introduced to English at an early age, described themselves as strong English speakers. This phenomenon should apply to children who speak English as their first language as well. In other words, U.S. students should be introduced to a second language at a young age in order to be fluent by adulthood. In fact, I believe that all K-12 students should have Spanish and English fluency by graduation.

Bilingual children have an academic edge.

Studies in language development show that when young children have more exposure to all languages at an early age, it actually gives them a distinct academic advantage throughout life. There is often an argument that students should first master the English language before branching out to others – but why can’t both be taught simultaneously? Bilingual children are able to focus more intently on the topics at hand and avoid distractions from academic pursuits. They are also able to demonstrate higher levels of cognitive flexibility, or the ability to change responses based on environment and circumstances.

There are cultural benefits that come from learning other languages.

The children who come from English-speaking homes can lend their language expertise to friends from Spanish-speaking homes, and vice versa. Contemporary communication technology has eliminated many global barriers when it comes to socialization and even doing business. It makes sense that language boundaries should also come down and with help from our K-12 education system.

Dual language programs show students a broader world view, whatever the native language of the student.

A bilingual brain is a more powerful brain.

Children who learn their first second-language words at the age of 5 can benefit from dual language curriculum. Learning is learning. The more that children can take advantage of new concepts, the more in tune their brains will be to all learning throughout life. Some studies have also found that the aging of the brain is slower and the employment rate is higher in adults with bilingual capabilities. Why not set kids up for success and strengthen long-term brain health while we are at it?

It leads to greater opportunities with collaborative learning.

Dual language programs show students a broader world-view, whatever the native language of the student, and lead to greater opportunities for collaborative learning. We should not limit what children learn based on outdated principles masked in patriotism.

By implementing bilingual options even younger, K-12 students stand to benefit long-term – both academically and in life. There really should be no reason why these students are not introduced to a second language as early as Kindergarten.

What do you think about introducing dual-language to early elementary-school aged children?

Matthew Lynch published in HBCU's, Higher Education December 23, 2015

Report: wealth gap in higher education growing

According to a report by Moody’s Investor Service, Americans colleges and universities are developing a wealth gap problem.

“One third of all assets held by colleges and universities” is with the country’s 10 wealthiest universities.

A few on the list include Harvard, Texas, Stanford, Yale, MIT, and Duke. Of the top ten, three are public universities. The rest are private.

Harvard, perhaps the nation’s most prestigious university, is also the country’s richest. In terms of wealth, Harvard is stout with $42.8 billion. That’s almost $10 billion more than the University of Texas, which comes in second.

The report also states that the country’s richest schools “capture the bulk of charitable gifts flowing to higher education” to the tune of 60 percent.

But one of the more interesting portions of the study lands with how many schools collect their revenue. The collection of tuition and student fees at the country’s top 20 private educational institutions has a median of 15 percent. That number jumps to 46 percent for public colleges.

Moody’s report concludes that because of the recovering economy and stock market, university endowments for the country’s wealthiest schools have aided in their increased wealth.

This report almost models how certain collegiate sports are fashioned. As power is concentrated in just a few NCAA conferences in sports like football and basketball that host big name schools like Alabama, Ohio State and USC, many kids will forgo opportunities at smaller schools in an effort to compete at larger, more competitive universities.

That example is a small sample size compared to the grand number of colleges and universities that many students have to choose from, but attracting the best and brightest to one’s campus is always easier when money flows as freely as spring water.

Matthew Lynch published in Matthew Lynch, Policy & Reform December 23, 2015

3 Things That Barack Obama Did For P-20 Education in 2015

When Barack Obama assumed the presidency, he was confronted by a nasty set of problems in P-20 education. High student loan debt, lack of affordable early-childhood education options, and everything in between were put in the President’s lap and have been issues he’s addressed in both terms.

Given the nature and sheer number of challenges, his administration has done a great deal to foster positive change and progress. In a bid to build upon his already stellar record on education, Obama implemented a number of education reform initiatives in 2015.

Obama gave $1 billion to Native American Education. President Obama’s budget request included $1 billion for American Indian schools next year, with millions of those dollars dedicated to restoring crumbling buildings and connecting classrooms via broadband Internet.

Administrative officials said the President was inspired to increase funds to better serve this population partially after last year’s visit to the Standing Rock Sioux reservation. He and the First Lady traveled to North Dakota and met with young people who shared how drugs, violence, and poverty impact their lives.

The federal government reported that around one-third of Bureau of Indian Education schools were in poor condition last year. This has forced students to learn in classrooms that fail to meet health and safety standards.

The BIE oversees 23 states and serves over 40,000 children in nearly 200 schools.

In addition to renovations, Obama’s budget included funds to expand broadband access at BIE schools, expand scholarships for post-secondary education, and help tribes deliver their own education programs.

Young people in Indian Country are some of the most at-risk in the United States. Many grow up in communities suffering from poverty, unemployment, and substance abuse. More than one-fifth of Native Americans over 25 never earn a high school diploma. Of those who attend college, only 39 percent earn a bachelor’s degree within six years.

I can only imagine the impact $1 billion will make on the Native American community, which is in such dire need of resources. Students do not deserve to have roofs caving in on them—they deserve to attend school and get an education in dramatically better conditions. I think Obama’s proposed funds could support some big changes in Native American education, changes that will lead to improved high school graduation rates and hopefully end the Native youth crisis.

Obama announced $240 Million in STEM funding. President Barack Obama used the spotlight of the 5th annual White House Science Fair to announce $240 million in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) funding, which will come from private businesses, foundations, and schools.

Calling the National Science Fair “the most fun event of the year,” the President praised the sophistication of the projects presented from scientists as young as kindergarteners. He emphasized the need for society to keep pushing STEM initiatives, through vocal and financial support, and said that this generation of students will “define the contours of the 21st century” through their advancements.

It’s no secret that President Obama is a big proponent of STEM learning and initiatives. Since the start of his first term, he has pushed for higher accountability in schools where these subjects are concerned and has looked for ways to funnel funding towards them—schools with strong STEM programs, for example, see more

Race to the Top funding. Keeping up with other countries when it comes to STEM initiatives is a priority for the President, and he sees long-term economic value in encouraging students today.

I’m interested to hear more about the specifics of this funding, though. What programs will it specifically fund? Will some of it go to scholarships? We know that young women tend to lose interest in STEM learning around middle-school age. Will some of the funding address this growing concern? Computer coding is also an area that is rapidly advancing in demand. How will these funds help bridge that gap?

Where would you like to see some of this $240 million in STEM funding applied?

Obama administration released a testing action plan for K-12. President Obama is determined not to allow the moniker of “lame duck” to stick to him. In 2015, Obama and the Department of Education released their Testing Action Plan, which aims to reduce the burden of tests that many students are tasked with taking.
While Obama has little recourse in scaling back how often states tests its students, his administration can at least provide an outline. Part of that outline includes having schools “send parents written notice” if students exceed a two-percent cap of classroom time that they may spend taking tests.

The whole point of this initiative is to utilize additional ways to measure student success as opposed to just testing. Included in the action plan are ways that schools may determine “how well students are learning and schools are functioning” by using “portfolios, projects, technology-supported assessments, students surveys,” etc. It’s still assessment, though, instead of just teaching and letting students learn—something that critics argue is sorely lacking in P-12 classrooms today.

In addition to the cap on testing and student measuring tools, the administration stated that it will be more flexible with federal standards when it comes to teacher evaluations. How that flexibility will look remains to be seen, but if they are willing to go easy on testing, then teacher evals may see similar variety.

On his way out of the White House, Obama is attempting to untangle the legacy of No Child Left Behind and create a new path and perhaps leave a presidential legacy on education.

Did I miss anything? What would you add to the list?

Matthew Lynch published in Higher Education, Matthew Lynch December 22, 2015

Bobby Jindal wanted more education cuts in Louisiana

Higher education in Louisiana faced cuts this past year after the state faced a multi-million dollar budget shortfall.

It could’ve been worse (way worse) for education though. Governor Bobby Jindal reportedly wanted to cut over $600 million from higher education but was rebuffed by leaders in the state legislature.

In speaking with the press this past week, Jindal notes that he was upset that lawmakers didn’t cut from the state’s higher education fund.

To close the state’s budget shortfall, lawmakers used money from the rainy day fund. Despite Jindal’s opposition, the fact that higher education funds weren’t slashed even further is good for just about everyone else.

Despite Jindal’s opposition, the fact that higher education funds weren’t slashed even further is good for just about everyone else.

Nola.com notes that the move saved many schools from being reorganized.

“The Louisiana Legislature voted overwhelmingly last week to draw down around $28 million from the rainy day fund to cope with a midyear budget shortfall. The move allowed public colleges and universities to avoid reductions in the current budget cycle — though the outgoing governor said he would have preferred more reductions.”

Against his will, Jindal compromised and went along with what the legislature wanted. Since Jindal’s terms as governor is up in January, he spoke about the need to reduce the size of the state’s government, which is why he wanted to cut higher education funding.

On the inverse, Governor-Elect John Bel Edwards says that he wants to increase the budget for higher education, which will undoubtedly appease education leaders in the state.

Matthew Lynch published in Ask An Expert, Matthew Lynch, Teachers December 21, 2015

Enrolling in a College of Education: What You Need to Know

Becoming an educator begins, of course, enrolling in a college of education. Whether you’re starting your pathway to becoming a teacher straight out of high school or are changing careers after many years of working in another field, to become a teacher, you need a degree from a college of education.

Usually, university students apply to schools of education during their sophomore year and formally enroll in a bachelor-level teacher training program beginning in their third year, after completing other college course work. Requirements for enrolling in a college of education differ among colleges and universities and from state to state. You’ll need to see your advisor for details. In general, in order to receive admission to most colleges of education, you’ll need to meet these three requirements:

You’ve completed your university’s General Education requirements (or the equivalent thereof); you have an AA degree from an approved Community College, or transfer from another university.

You have an overall GPA of 2.5 or above.

You’ve successfully passed all three areas (Reading, Writing, and Mathematics) of the Praxis I Skills Test or its equivalent.

If you don’t meet all these requirements, don’t fret! In some cases, students who don’t meet a college of education admission requirement may be assigned an “education pending” status. After meeting all college admission requirements, students complete a “change of major” request to change from “education pending” to their intended major.

Once you’ve been admitted to a college of education, the enrollment process will proceed with class selection. The course work for preparing to be a teacher involves two stages:

Core courses

The core courses are the basic classes required for most college students before declaring a major and entering a specific field of study. These classes typically account for 30% to 40% of a bachelor’s degree.

Teacher education courses

These courses focus on training you to be a teacher. At this point, you’ll select elementary or secondary education as your major and also choose your subject area.

When planning out your schedule, you’ll need to make sure you take all the classes required by each stage in addition to whatever electives you choose for your particular specialization. Elementary education teachers must teach a variety of subjects but have an area of concentration for which they must have a specific number of credit hours. For example, an elementary education major with a concentration in reading might need at least 15 credit hours in reading courses. Other areas of concentration include art, language, literature, mathematics, music, physical education, science, social studies, English as a second language, or specific foreign languages. Secondary education majors include grades 7 through 12 and require a specific major for the area. The courses you take in the teacher education program are specifically designed to teach you everything you need to know before teaching.

In addition, you must keep in mind that teachers must usually take and pass two Praxis exams in order to earn their degree and receive licensure.

Praxis II

This exam is a more focused test that specifically tests your subject area knowledge. Passing this test certifies you to teach and designates that you are highly qualified to do so.

Praxis III

This exam measures your performance as a new teacher in a classroom setting, mostly during the first year of teaching. It may include direct observation and structured interviews.

As long as you plan from the start, enrolling in a college of education and successfully garnering your teaching credentials will be easily achievable goals. Know your milestones, and plan your roadmap accordingly.

Matthew Lynch published in Equity, Matthew Lynch, Policy & Reform December 19, 2015

2 Ways That Language Instruction Shined in 2015

In today’s global world, it is important that students leave high school knowing more than just one language. Several innovative school districts in the U.S. are making this a reality by ensuring that their students learn a second language.

Maryland districts add Spanish immersion at three of its elementary schools. Prince George County in Maryland is working hard to immerse young students in foreign language. Three schools in the county started formally offering Spanish immersion as part of an expansion option for children this school year.

Mariluz Mendez, a kindergarten teacher at Cesar Chavez Elementary School, said that some of her students who have never spoken a foreign language before her class are now reading books in Spanish.

Executive Director of the American Council on Teaching of Foreign Languages Marty Abbott explained that the number of school districts that use a foreign-language immersion model rises each year. Spanish is the most commonly taught foreign language in U.S. schools, and Chinese is seeing a significant increase.

Gina Bowler and Delores Millhouse, two parents who did not have children in the public schools last year, lobbied for Schools Chief Kevin M. Maxwell to add Spanish immersion to the district’s list of offerings.

Bowler wants to give her daughters all of the advantages available to other children. She believes fluency in multiple languages will give students “many advantages in their academic lives, their professional lives, and their personal lives.”

Right now, kindergarten classes in each of the three participating elementary schools enjoy the new offering. Subsequent grades will be added each year. The district also offers Chinese immersion at a few schools.

I fully support Maryland in its decision to offer Spanish immersion in its kindergarten classes. Research points to benefits such as greater understanding, tolerance, and appreciation for other languages and cultures. I anticipate and hope that we will see an increase of language immersion programs throughout the U.S. in upcoming years.

NYC expanded dual-language programs. The New York City Education Department plans to expand dual-language programs offered in the city’s public schools.

Schools Chancellor Carmen Farina stated that 40 dual-language programs in elementary, middle and high school levels would be created or expanded for the 2015-2016 school year. As of June, there were 150 dual-language programs in the city. The new dual-language program will receive a $25,000 grant to prepare for the implementation and $1 million in federal funds.

The programs will primarily be in Spanish, but there will also be some in French, Haitian-Creole, Japanese, Chinese, and Hebrew. The programs will aspire to teach students to read, write, and speak in two languages. Half of the students will be English speakers and the other half will already speak the second language in the classroom.

Dual-language programs have been spreading around the United States as school districts strive to prepare students to compete for jobs in a globalized, multilingual world. The methods used in each school vary. For example, some teachers may teach half of the school day in English and half in another language.

Beyond the job prospects and global advantages, education experts say that dual-language programs can also attract middle-class families to attend poorer schools they may otherwise evade.

I think this shows that New York City is using its multicultural community to its advantage. Dual-language programs promote a positive school culture and can help close the achievement gap. I anticipate we will see students from a range of backgrounds attend schools that offer dual-language programs as more and more parents recognize the importance of bilingual education.

Can you think of any other stories that we missed?

Click here to read all our posts concerning the Achievement Gap.

Matthew Lynch published in EdTech & Innovation December 18, 2015

Why we should teach our students digital marketing skills

**The Edvocate is pleased to publish guest posts as way to fuel important conversations surrounding P-20 education in America. The opinions contained within guest posts are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of The Edvocate or Dr. Matthew Lynch.**

A guest post by David Cutler

“It is time for schools to stop blocking Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other social networks that students love and already use daily outside of school.”

So writes Mark Barnes in his book, Teaching the iStudent: A Quick Guide to Using Mobile Devices and Social Media in the K-12 Classroom. Ad nauseam, schools advertise how they use technology to prepare kids to excel in an increasingly global 21st century, as if no other school is doing the same thing. Meanwhile, too few schools teach students how to make effective use of not just Facebook and Twitter, but also other popular online tools, instead preferring teacher-friendly alternatives that few use in the real world.

It may be true that plenty of students know how to create digital media, but too few know how to produce high-quality content, the kind that makes them stick out to not only college admission officers, but also potential employers. If you think “marketing” is a dirty word, and that educators have no business teaching students how to do this, you need to reconsider your role. We need to teach and encourage students to post original, quality content to brand their unique identities in a sea of increasingly indistinguishable resumes—which are going the way of the typewriter.

In fact, right now I’m teaching my freshman European history students how to create and maintain a WordPress site. Throughout the year, they will post their thoughts and creative responses. Moreover, students will learn to feel more comfortable sharing their work, crucial for successful collaboration in the digital age. As a next step, students will register for a Twitter handle, to be used for sharing and discussing topics related to European history. If they choose, Tweets can be embedded on their sites.

When it comes down to it, I do more than just teach history. I encourage students to use evolving digital skills to explore, develop, and express their own passions and interests. Of course, I’m fortunate to work at a wonderful school, whose ace technology department allows and fosters digital creativity.

I recently spoke with Barnes, curious to hear his thoughts. Not surprisingly, he agrees, adding that WordPress is the most powerful blogging platform in the world. “I always say…make sure that you give them the opportunity to do some niche-blogging, too, because ultimately, that’s what they’re going to do,” Barnes says. “That’s what we do. Our niche is education—we tend to write about education. Who knows what theirs is going to be, but they’re going to be creating content that’s going to be really important. I think teaching them at a young age how to do that effectively is really important.”

For the most part, I’ve found that when students share their work online, the quality of that work improves. I noticed as much in 2011, when I helped students launch The Falconer, the student news site of Palmer Trinity, a terrific private school in Palmetto Bay, Florida. Before submitting stories to me, students carefully reviewed each other’s work. Once their stories were posted, students felt even more excited about receiving feedback, not just from the class, but also from the wider school community.

More than anything else, I think, student excitement for online sharing stems from wanting to make a difference and having their voices heard. Nothing fulfills that yearning quite like the Internet, which allows students to use not just writing, but also photographs, audio, and video to tell stories that can elicit an immediate response and make an immediate impact.

Barnes tells me of one former student who blogged about Google Glass before the invention took off. “Here’s a kid, 12- or 13-years-old, and he writes this amazing post and does his own review of it, and includes pictures and outside links. It was just, you can comment on anything you want,” he says. “He wound up getting…150 or 170 comments on this one post. People were coming to him like he was the expert. It was such a great opportunity to share that with kids across all my classes and just say, ‘This is what writing and curating content is really about. You become an expert at something, and people come to you.’”

Last week, I also spoke with Eric Sheninger, whose courageous book, Digital Leadership: Changing Paradigms for Changing Times, echoes much of what Barnes and I believe so strongly in promoting. I asked Sheninger how best to serve students in the digital age, and his response leaves little to the imagination. “Adapting and evolving with the times and worrying more about learning than numbers,” he says. “When you focus more on learning, everything else falls into place.”

In that vein, more schools must develop the courage to teach how to leave behind a positive digital footprint.

This post originally appeared on spin.edu, and was republished with permission.

Read all of our posts about EdTech and Innovation by clicking here.

____________________

David Cutler is a coach, history and journalism teacher at Brimmer and May, an independent school in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. He is the founder of Spin Education.

Matthew Lynch published in HBCU's, Higher Education, Matthew Lynch December 18, 2015

5 Reasons HBCUs are Still Relevant

As college enrollment numbers rise, with Black college students at their highest enrollment levels ever, the role of Historically Black Colleges and Universities, or HBCUs, have come into question. Before 1964, and even as recently as two decades ago, an increase in the number of Black young adults with college aspirations would have been welcome news for HBCUs.

Today, more Black college students do not automatically translate into higher enrollment numbers at HBCUs because the college landscape has changed so drastically since the golden days of these institutions. Diversity recruitment programs on traditional campuses, the ease of online degree programs, and the rising credibility and offerings at community colleges have eclipsed the cornered market that was once enjoyed by HBCUs when it comes to enrolling Black and other minority students.

As a result, it’s been suggested that HBCUs are no longer relevant and their purpose is now outdated and unnecessary for the students who used to depend on their offerings. With respect to the many quality non-HBCU higher education institutions, I’d argue that HBCUs are more relevant than ever and are in many ways even MORE necessary than their counterparts. Here’s why:

HBCUs are still havens for the disadvantaged. The achievement gap in K-12 learning may be narrowing, but it is still exists. Even minority students who end up graduating from high school drop out of college at higher rates than their white peers. While all types of colleges are picking up on this weakness and looking for ways to retain students, many HBCUs stand out as examples of how to succeed at having students return after freshman year. A U.S. News ranking lists Spelman College (at 88 percent retention), Morehouse College (82.5 percent), Howard University (82.3 percent), Florida A&M University (79.5 percent) and Winston-Salem State University (78.3 percent) as the top five HBCUs for having students return to campus after freshman year.

As a comparison point, the top 10 predominantly white institutions, or PWIs, had retention rates that ranged from 97.5 to 99 percent – BUT the retention numbers for minority students was lower. The campus culture and student-centric programs at these PWIs are stellar but it also stands to reason that the students attending top PWIs, like Brown University and the University of Notre Dame, are predisposed to staying in college anyway – while HBCUs have many more obstacles to overcome when convincing and encouraging their attendees to stay. HBCUs are also proving to be thought leaders when it comes to advancing rights for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender students, with Morehouse College offering its first LGBT course this past spring.

HBCUs are blazing STEM trails. Many HBCUs are powerhouses when it comes to offering strong degree programs in science, technology, engineering and math. HBCUs are important hubs for developing the greatest STEM minds in the nation, with 65 percent of all Black physicians and half of all Black engineers graduating from HBCUs. The Tuskegee University College of Engineering and Alabama A&M University of College Engineering, Technology and Physical Sciences are not just top engineering schools among HBCUs – they are among the best in the nation. Spelman College is the second largest school in the nation that sends Black undergraduates on to medical school. Jackson State University receives the highest amount of HBCU federal research funding every year, at $68 million, and is known for its “research intensive” programs.

Claflin University students work alongside the South Carolina Center for Biotechnology and receive hands-on industry training and connections in the field long before graduation. Xavier University of Louisiana has a consistently top-ranked pharmacy program and is a sought out school for those hoping to advance to medical school. Florida A&M University consistently ranks at the top of all colleges that graduate Black students with doctorates in natural sciences and engineering. In June, Fayetteville State was awarded a $718, 000 government research grant that included plans to oversee STEM instruction to local high school students. The advancements these schools are contributing to STEM fields are not just relevant, they are groundbreaking and an asset to the industries the graduates eventually serve.

They make college more affordable. As college costs climb, HBCUs remain reasonable options for earning college degrees and come with plenty of financial aid options in the form of grants, scholarships and federal loans. HBCUs like Coahoma Community College in Clarksdale, Mississippi cost as little as $4,940 for in-state students for an entire academic year (before any grants or financial aid) or just under $7,000 for in-state students who choose to live on campus. Even out of state students get a pretty good deal – adding just $1,000 more to that total. Even HBCUs with top billing offer affordable routes for their students, like Howard University in D.C. that saw 52 percent of students in 2012 with their financial needs fully met. The financial assistance programs at HBCUs have an inherent understanding that their students come from a place where college may not be an option without sound advice and financial assistance – and they step up to meet the needs of those students.

They adequately staff the workforce – and help graduates land jobs. During the latest Recession years, college career centers faced even greater scrutiny when it comes to helping students find jobs when they leave campus. The state of unemployed college graduates reached nearly crisis proportions at one point, with college graduates returning home to live with their parents after receiving a degree. HBCUs stepped up and worked even harder to help their graduates find the work they were qualified to accomplish after graduation. The 2012 HBCU Career Center Survey found that over 90 percent of HBCUs offered career workshops, career counseling, one-on-one resume writing help, one-on-one interview coaching, on-campus job fairs and on-campus interviews from prospective employers. Nearly three-fourths of the HBCUs in the survey said they also offered career development services for alumni. HBCUs are not simply training their students and sending them off blindly into their future careers; these schools are supplying well-equipped, highly-educated workforce members through connection programs that happen long before graduation day.

They remind us that there are still battles to be fought. As much as I’m a proponent of diversity in all of our schools, from pre-K to doctoral programs, there is some solidarity at HBCUs that would be a danger to lose. Despite advancements against discrimination, it is important to remember that the fight for civil rights and equality still rages on – and it extends beyond the Black community. It is vital to remember why HBCUs were developed in the first place and what role they have played in the fight for justice – producing such civil rights trail blazers as Martin Luther King Jr. and Thurgood Marshall. Though the initial mission of HBCUs may have evolved with the times, the reminder that education is an inalienable right for all Americans, and those who chose to study from abroad, lives on proudly at HBCUs and will always be a necessary pillar of the U.S. college and university system.

Read all of our posts about HBCUs by clicking here.

Matthew Lynch published in list, Matthew Lynch, Policy & Reform December 18, 2015

3 Simple Ways to Improve Parental Involvement in Schools

As educators, we talk a lot about the role of teachers in the lives of students and debate the best ways to strengthen the classroom experience for students from all backgrounds. There is only so much a teacher can do, though, particularly with large class sizes and limited resources. Even teachers in the best of circumstances are limited when it comes to hours in the day and the amount of material that must be covered. As K-12 academic standards become more rigorous, parental involvement becoming an even more integral piece of a student’s success.

The timing couldn’t be worse though, from a cultural standpoint. A report released in February by Stanford University that found that the number of U.S. households with two working parents nearly doubled from 25 percent in 1968 to 48 percent in 2008, and that doesn’t even factor in parents who have part-time jobs, health issues or other children that vie for their time. Sending children off to school is a relief for many parents who need a place for their children to go and put their faith in the school to make those hours productive ones.

Asking parents to pick up some of the “slack” for teachers is often perceived as a burden and not as the legitimate parental duty it actually is. If you look at students living in poverty, whose own parents may not have played an active role in their own K-12 learning, the chance of parental involvement in the education process is even slimmer. No teacher would argue the fact that parents ARE needed to maximize student success – so how can educators, and society as a whole, make it so?

The parental difference

The most obvious benefit of parental involvement is more time spent on academic learning, with direct results in student performance. There are other benefits too, though, like:

Parents being aware of what is taking place at the school and getting involved.
Parents better understanding where their children may struggle, and not just hearing it secondhand at a teacher conference.
Better attendance and participation for kids who follow the enthusiasm and good example of their parents.
Parent-child bonding over a common goal (and what better one than education?).

Parents are important to children’s success…now what?

Teachers reading this are likely shaking their heads as their frustration builds. Yes, parents are needed! Yes, students perform better if their parents are involved in their academics! But HOW do we get the message across to parents?

Here are a few approaches that have worked to trigger parental interest in what happens at school:

In schools

The Sunnyside Schools school district in Washington has designed a pilot program that will engage parents and investigate what methods best keep parents involvement in education of children the highest. Regular, informal meetings are part of the plan and a family advocacy group is working with the school district to find the best solutions.

In June 2013 Chicago Public Schools CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett unveiled a five-year action plan to help kids get ready for their college, career and life. In that plan, she discussed the importance of holding adults accountable as indispensable allies and says they must enforce homework, turn off the television and make education a priority. To help parents keep children on track, her action plan promises to launch city-wide “Parent Universities” that help parents learn more about appropriate expectations of their children, how to build academic skills and ways to support their college plans. Parents can also learn more to help better their own lives.

Using technology

ParentSquare is a simple to use, private communication platform that streamlines communication via web, email, text or mobile app. The easy-to-use interface offers two-way messaging, file and photo sharing, event and volunteer sign-up and more. With tabs for messages, events, people, photos, files and other options, parents can log into one system and have all the information they need. In short, ParentSquare makes school-to-home messaging simple, empowering parents to take a more active role in the academic success of their kids. Some of the standout features of ParentSquare include two-way messaging, text, email, web and mobile apps ensure schools reach every parent, and a safe place to store photos.

ParentSquare eliminates overwhelm and fragmentation that can come with the various means of communication available, making it easier for parents to participate and teachers to keep track of their communications.

Although getting parents to the right level of participation will take at least a generation of K-12 students, recent advancements designed to encourage parental involvement in our current cultural climate give us hope that we will see these changes happen.

Matthew Lynch published in Higher Education, Matthew Lynch, Policy & Reform December 18, 2015

3 Ways Activists Fought For P-20 Education in 2015

Activism and fighting for the common good are as old as the human race itself. In P-20 education, the last decade has seen progress for groups that have traditionally been left out of the decision and often made to fight for a seat at the table. To the surprise of some and elation of others, many of these education activists groups have be overwhelmingly successful, especially this past year. In honor of those of us that fight for what’s right, I decided to do a piece discussing the top ways that education activists pushed back against “the man” in 2015.

Oklahoma protestors rallied for public school funding. Thousands of protesters attended a rally at the Oklahoma State Capitol that called on the state’s legislators to

do a better job staffing and funding the public schools in the state, as reported by The Oklahoman. The Brighter Future rally was organized by the Oklahoma Parent Teacher Association, and more than 60 school districts cancelled classes so that teachers, students, and parents could attend the rally that has been taking place for over a decade. Whether the legislators listened remains to be seen, but it would be in their best interest to do so.

Oklahoma ranks below the national average when it comes to academic achievement and chances for success for its students, according to Education Week’s 2015 Quality Counts report. For K-12 achievement and education spending, Oklahoma received “F” rankings. It’s reasonable to surmise that there is a connection between both things; without properly funded schools with highly trained (and adequately paid) teachers, students will not be able to reach their full potential.

The protest’s organizers hoped to double last year’s numbers and have 50,000 people at the rally today as a gathering of that size would hopefully collect the attention needed for some real change to take place when it comes to the public schools in the state and the children who attend them. The connection between public school funding and staffing, and the success of its students, is very clear. To best guide this generation of K-12 students into an economically healthy future for the state, Oklahoma needs to put the right funding behind its public schools.

Corinthian students said USDOE used them as publicity stunt. In a story that continues to grow, students who formerly attended Corinthian colleges are accusing the United States Department of Education (USDOE) of using them as a publicity stunt.

Representatives from the “Corinthian 100” were set to meet with officials from the USDOE about their student loan debts but opted to cancel the meeting because they felt they were being used. According to the New Republic, a representative from the Debt Collective, the organization aiding the students in their quest against the USDOE, did not believe the government wanted to help.

“They’re using us so they can pretend to care about students.”

The Corinthian 100 continue to fight in an effort to get the government to forgive their student loan debt. Students that formerly attended schools under the now-defunct Corinthian colleges banner are attempting to exercise a clause listed in the contracts they signed for student loans.

That portion of the contract allows for students to make a “defense of repayment” if they feel that they’ve been deceived.

Because the federal government fined Corinthian $30 million, in part, for felonious ways of collecting debt, the for-profit institution was forced to shut down. That’s also why the 100 want their debt forgiven.

Caught in the middle are the students who are saddled with thousands of dollars’ worth of debt owed to the Department of Education. But the 100 are refusing to bend and are demanding that their debt be forgiven.

Because Corinthian received nearly 90 percent of its revenue from federal financial aid, the federal government should overreach to help students who have shown that they are unable to repay their loans. As a result of the carelessness of Corinthian and the government, these students may never return to college due to the debt held from a negative and painful experience with an organization masquerading as a college.

Corinthian students refuse to payback student loan debt. Corinthian Colleges, a for-profit education outfit, came under fire when, as reported by NPR, 107 of its former students refused to pay back their student loans as a form of protest.

In addition to the large amount of debt that the students carry, they also claimed that the degrees they received from Corinthian are not recognized by most employers.

The Associated Press reported that Corinthian shut its doors last July due to federal regulations. The college had more than 100 U.S. campuses with more than 70,000 students. But when enrollment started to slump and reports showed that nearly 100 percent of students at for-profit schools take out student loans to pay for their education, the United States Department of Education stepped in.

According to NPR, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau met with representatives from the “Corinthian 100” to discuss “ways to address the burden of their student loans.” This is likely a step in the right direction for those students, but it doesn’t fully address the student loan debt crisis that’s beginning to engulf higher education.

The Institute for College Access and Success, by way of Pew Trusts, a rising number of states’ graduating students have an average debt of more than $30,000. Coupled with the fact that student loan debt now outpaces debt tied to mortgages and credit cards and more than 7 million U.S. borrowers are in default on their loans, higher education just may be in crisis.

The “Corinthian 100” is currently in talks with the Department of Education regarding their student loans.

I think these students have every right to refuse this repayment and that they were victims of predatory practices by this non-defunct university. Colleges and universities need to be held accountable for the degrees they give students and for what those students do after college.

What would you add to my list of ways that education activists fought back 2015?

Matthew Lynch published in list, Matthew Lynch, Policy & Reform December 17, 2015

10 More Educational Technology Concepts Every Teacher Should Know About

In a previous article, I showcased seven must-see educational technology concepts that teachers must stay abreast of to become more effective educators in the digital age. Those are important, but they are certainly not the only ones that are emerging in recent years. Here are some more exciting technologies to keep track of:

Alternative input devices. These tools are designed to allow students with disabilities to use computers and related technology easily. Some alternative input devices include touch screens, modified keyboards, and joysticks that direct a cursor through use of body parts like chins, hands, or feet. Some up-and-coming technology in this area is sip-and-puff systems, developed by companies like Microsoft, to perform computer functions through the simple process of inhaling and exhaling. On-screen keyboards are another area of input technology that is providing K-12 learners with disabilities better use of computers and mobile devices for learning.
Speech-to-text options. This technology is making mainstream waves through its use in popular cell phones like the Android-platform Razr M. While it is a convenience tool for people without disabilities, speech-to-text provides a learning advantage for students who have mobility or dexterity problems, or those who are blind. It allows students to speak their thoughts without typing and even navigate the Internet. speech-to-text options can also “talk back” to students and let them know about potential errors in their work.
LAMP. Language Acquisition through Motor Planning, or LAMP, connects neurological and motor learning in a way that makes communication easier for students with autism and related disorders. These principles have proven especially helpful for students who do not speak or have very limited verbal skills. Paired with technology, LAMP principles empower a growing student population with autism to effectively communicate and reach higher academic achievements. LAMP is present in technology – from specially made computers to learning apps.
Sensory enhancers. Depending on developmental patterns, children may need to learn differently than their peers. Instead of ABCs and numbers first, a child with language delays may benefit from bright pictures or colors to learn new concepts. Sensory enhancers may include voice analyzers, augmentative communication tools, or speech synthesizers. With the rapid growth of technology in the classroom, these basic tools of assistive technology are seeing great strides.
Screen readers. This technology is slightly different from text-to-speech. It simply informs students of what is on a screen. A student who is blind or visually impaired can benefit from the audio interface screen readers provide. Students who otherwise struggle to glean information from a computer screen can learn more easily through technology meant to inform them.
Mobile learning. Tablets and smartphones in the classroom are no longer a matter of “if,” but “when, and how quickly?” Administrators and educators can tap into the convenience of mobile technology in the classroom and the potential for student learning adaptation. Over half of school administrators say there is some form of mobile technology in their classrooms and that they plan to implement more when it is financially feasible. School districts should keep in mind that the purchase of mobile devices for K-12 use is only one piece in the learning puzzle. There must be funding for teacher training and maintenance of the devices too.
Learning analytics. This evolving concept in K-12 classrooms is different from educational data mining. It focuses on individual students, teachers, and schools without direct implications to the government. Learning analytics are the education industry’s response to “big data” that is used in the business world for improvements and redirection of focus. Learning analytics show students what they have achieved and how their achievements match up with their peers. If implemented correctly, this technology has the potential to warn teachers early of academic issues while keeping students more accountable. Using the mobile and online technology already in place, students can better track and tailor their academic experiences.
Open content. The rise of MOOCs, or massive open online courses, has trickled down from college learning to K-12 education. Increasingly, K-12 educators are also coming to believe that all information on any given topic already exists. In effect, a growing number of people believe that content does not need to be re-created or purchased, and the idea has gained steam among K-12 educators specifically. Within the next three years, expect more shared content available to teachers and to students. Open textbooks, resources, and curricula are not the only benefit of an open content push; shared experiences and insights are also valuable teaching tools.
3D printing. Also known as prototyping, 3D printing will allow K-12 students to create tangible models for their ideas. Many fields, like manufacturing, already make use of this technology to determine the effectiveness of ideas on a smaller, printable scale. In education, this technology will bolster creativity and innovation, along with science and math applications. The STEM Academy has already partnered with Stratasys, a leading 3D printing company, to start integration of the technology in programming classes.
Outdoor/environmental learning. In short, more schools are looking for ways to get students and teachers outside. We are in an era of experiential learning, so environmental education fits the bill for many students. Lessons in this field teach children an appreciation of the earth and of its resources that the human population is quickly depleting. A better, hands-on understanding of nature also helps with science comprehension and gives students practical learning experiences.

Research has also found that teaching outside, even for short stints, improves student attitudes, attendance, and overall health. In many schools, teachers have always had the freedom to take students outside if they deemed it lesson-appropriate. Look for more official outdoor-teaching policies in the coming year, though, that encourage teachers to incorporate outdoor and environmental learning in all subjects.

As you can tell, many of these technologies have the power to change dramatically the learning experiences of students with learning disabilities, impairments, and other challenges that traditional learning methods have been less able to address. It is likely that we will see more use of these ten technologies and concepts in the next few years. In another article, I will focus on five more of these technology concepts every teacher must know.